Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Friday, June 1, 2012

Tour of our Yard

Come and relax on our deck!
WOW---here it is June 1st!!!  How can that be?????  Now that Summer is here (unofficially),  I will say that,  even though it passed by quickly,  we did have a gorgeous spring this year.  I have shared many of our beautiful flowers with you (crocus, hyacinths, daffodils, tulips, irises--- plus more including our ROSES).   The pansies are still blooming but will be gone if it stays HOT for much longer.  The roses will be with us until late Fall.

But now our biggest bloomers are our lilies and daylilies.  Most of the roses have finished blooming their first batch ---and will start a 2nd batch soon.   George and I have both been very busy lately working in the yard.  We enjoy it ---although working in extreme heat is not much fun!  We finally have everything looking pretty good ---after weeding and weeding... Of course though,  those pesky weeds do have a habit of reappearing!  SO--weeding is an ongoing process.

Today,  in order to do something a little different,  I invite you on a short tour of our yard.  All of my photos today were taken either on May 27th or May 28th.  Be sure to click on them to enlarge them.

First though,  you need to sit on our deck and relax a minute.  I'll furnish some cold lemonade!!!!! Let's just TALK....




Freedom's Glow Lilies
OKAY---time for the tour!!!!! Wasn't that lemonade good?????  Our first stop is on the 'upper' side of the house where many lilies are planted... Some of them are blooming (picture above) ---but there are many more to bloom.   It's nice to sit on the deck and smell and enjoy all of the lilies!!!




The Upper side of our home
Next we will walk along the rock sidewalk noticing other lilies --either blooming or about to bloom.   When I talk about seeing this beauty from the kitchen window,  this is where that flowerbed is.   I weeded this big bed (going all along the length of our home) last weekend...  The Chipmunks love to tunnel in this bed --and eat the flower bulbs.... Darn those cute little critters!!!




Our ground covers (Periwinkle and English Ivy) and several gorgeous Hostas
Now we are in the front yard ---on the upper side. We have quite a bit of ground cover in certain places around the yard.   It has taken this ground cover several years to get thick enough to 'eat' the weeds!!!!  We love it---and it helps with the mowing!!!




Our Home --taken from the street
Here is a picture  taken from the road ---looking 'through' our road flowerbed toward the house.  Sometime,  I'll share some before and after photos of how this flowerbed has evolved... Those red lilies are our Montenegro Lilies.  They have been gorgeous this spring.  Behind the lilies are some Veteran's Honor Roses (also red in color).




Our front yard ---looking toward the road
I took this photo from the other direction.  I was standing near the garage --looking out toward the road.  You can get a better view of the road flowerbed.  Many of you remember when George built that bed.   We did it for the same reason we have so many container roses----to have a sunny spot in our mostly shady yard!!!!  Roses need SUN!!!!




Small flowerbed along the rock sidewalk
Now we are walking back around the sidewalk toward the back deck.  This little bed along the house side of the rock sidewalk has been a 'work in progress' since we bought the house in 2002.   For several years,   I planted Impatiens along here every spring....  Then,  one year,  the rabbit (or more than one) kept eating the Impatiens.... I tried again the next year,  and the rabbits came back and did it again... SO--I had to come up with Plan B!!!!!   Dad Adams gave us more of his Autumn Joy Sedum (we have it in other places around the yard),  so I separated it and planted it along this area.  It has done well---and causes me no trouble at all.   Last year,  I added more Hosta between some of the Sedum....




Autumn Joy Sedum and Hosta
Here's another picture  (closer)  of some of the Autumn Joy Sedum and Hosta in that little flowerbed.  Both are doing well---and take very little --if any---care or upkeep!!!!  I recommend Autumn Joy Sedum if you want some plants that are easy to grow and maintain.




More of our back deck
Finally,  we are back to where we started!!!!!  Hope you enjoyed the little tour.  We didn't go to the 'lower' side of the yard since there's nothing much there now except for our big woodpile and compost... Can't say that that is worth showing off!!!!! ha

WELL---now that we are back to the deck,  George and I invite you to 'break bread' with us!!!!!  Do you prefer burgers or steaks or chicken?????  George can cook a mean steak on the grill...  I KNOW ---since he made me one on Memorial Day evening... YUM!!!!

NOW---take me on a tour of your home.  I learn so much from all of you bloggers!!!!!  Thanks for visiting today -and you sincerely are invited to visit us if you are ever in Beautiful Tennessee...

Have a great weekend and I'll see you on Monday.

Hugs,
Betsy

83 comments:

Ms. A said...

I love your flowers, but I also love the different ground cover and hosta. I'd like to have that bordering my backyard fence! Maybe when hubby retires we can do something extra. Right now it's hard to keep up with anything.

Tabor said...

I always get ideas from how others landscape their yards. Thanks! That lemonade was to die for, by the way.

Tabor said...

I always get ideas from how others landscape their yards. Thanks! That lemonade was to die for, by the way.

Small Kucing said...

it's so beautiful. Did you know that we can eat Lily flower. Well, before it bloom. Taste very good if cook soup

kathy

http://www.smallkucing.com
http://mamakucingbooks.blogspot.com

Andrea said...

Wow Betsy, that is really a lovely walk, and your garden is so neat, as in "prim and proper". I also love the bricks you used there, i bet George had some muscle pains lifting all those. I think i already memorize the lay-out of your yard since last year, and also remember i already know how your house looks in December? Now, i get a little excited, and i think i love to have the chicken please! And i hope i can have a cup of coffee after that. Oh how lovely your temperatures are, i had a great time. thank you.

Sharon said...

I like my steak medium rare......

What are you looking at when you sit on the deck? Seems like I remember you saying you were on the golf course (one of them??) or did I dream that? My parents (who still own a lot in FG they bought when it first was established) still play there from time to time.

Dana Koogler said...

Thanks for the virtual tour of your lovely yard! So beautiful! You love lilies and gardening just like me!
You've really got a knack for making the most of those shady spots. I am still learning. Hugs! Dana Bee

A Brit in Tennessee said...

The perfect spot to sit and chatter :)
Your home and garden are a feast for the eyes, all that color, and in one of the most prettiest places on earth.
Thank you for the tour this early morning, it started my day with a smile :)
Hope you didn't get any of the bad weather last night, I've already noticed trees down in the area.
Have a wonderful weekend !
~Jo

Janice K said...

You yard is so beautiful, and I know when you live in a woods it is hard to get enough sunlight for flowers to grow. We are finally back from our trip, and the new roof was put on our house just before we left, so now I can finally clean up the decks and buy some flowers for this year. Of course, it is raining now...We really do need the rain after such a hot spell. But I am anxious to get started and to see a little more color around here.

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Your yard is beautiful! If I had to pick on the grill - I'd choose fish! I love grilled fish so much :-)

Our lilies are blooming now too, and my hydrangeas.

Unknown said...

I did not realize just how many flower beds you have...gorgeous!!! That lemonade hit the spot, thank you.

Anonymous said...

MY goodness, you guys must be getting rain where you live, to have such beautiful flowers and green lawn! All the heavy rain seems to be going around Estill Springs, everyone has been getting it but us and our yard is like a desert!

Wait a minute, I believe its raining outside... Woo Hoo!

Christine said...

Thank you for the wonderful tour of your yard Betsy. Your flower beds are so nice and I'd love to visit on your deck. Hope you and George have a great weekend.

Catherine said...

You have a beautiful yard Betsy! How I would love to sit and watch the view with you. I will take a burger or chicken please. Does George do the dishes too? ;)
xo Catherine

Hidden Haven Homestead said...

What a wonderful visit! Enjoyed walking and chatting with you. Would love to do that one day in person. Tell George I like my steak medium. LOL Am busy the next couple of days but love the idea of a tour of my yard and gardens. Have a blessed weekend.

Amy Burzese said...

Beautiful yard. I envy your shade.

Ruth Hiebert said...

What a thrill to take a tour of your yard.They only thing better would be to be there in person. That deck looks most inviting and yes,I'll have a steak please. I love steak and don't get it very often. I have ordered one as my birthday gift from Steve. Now I wait to see what will happen.

diane b said...

You sure have done a lot of work to keep your yard so attractive. It looks so colourful and tidy. Well done. my yard needs lots of attention after being away for 5 weeks but it has been raining everyday, which is so unusual for this time of the year.

Unknown said...

Beautiful! I am so jealous of all your shade. Guess that's what I get for living on the prairie! :-) Our day lilies are just getting ready to bloom, the peonies are done, and my columbines are kind of finishing up. The daisies are in full swing, and I am waiting for a few others to put their best faces forward. Want to add a few more plants to the new bed out front, but I'm waiting for this heat to break. Actually it did, but now we are in the middle of a busy time, so I will just have to wait a bit longer. Thanks for the trip!

Hugs!

penny said...

You certainly have beautiful views from every window of your home, Betsy.
Stepping out your door in like taking a mini vacation to wonderland.
Hugs

linda m said...

Betsy, I think your yard is prettier than it was last year. You and George are to be congratulated on being excellent gardeners. Thanks for sharing your beautiful yard with us. Have a great weekend.

mamahasspoken said...

Love the tour and love how well your flowers are doing. I got rid of my three rose bushes this year. They never did well, always having black spots on the leaves and loosing most of them by the end of the season. Instead I planted more vegetables in that area. We'll see if it was a better choice!

NatureStop said...

Betsy, I really enjoyed your yard with so many blooms but your lemonade was a hit:)Have a great weekend!

Shantana

Out on the prairie said...

I will have mine medium rare.I enjoy just about anything on the grill.

Larry said...

Looks great Betsy!! Larry

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

The tender loving care that you and George lavish on your yard really shows in these pictures.

Donna said...

Your yard is spectacular! I know you have to work really hard to keep up with it all. I like about anything grilled, so I'll plop myself down and eat whatever you put in front of me, LOL. We finally got our mulch spread yesterday by the lawn crew. It's only a couple of months late! It looks so much nicer. And now I can take some pics of the new flowerbed wall next to the house!

happyone said...

I DID enjoy the tour of your yard and gardens. You have quite a showplace. Really nice.
I'll take some chicken please! : )

Neal said...

You guys have such a beautiful yard. It's obvious that you put a lot of work into it.

TexWisGirl said...

i really like the greenery - the hostas are so pretty.

Susannah said...

Your home is gorgeous! It is so neat and pretty and looks lovely from the road. All of your flowers are very healthy and beautiful. I especially like the lilies! I hope you or hubby relax in your anti-gravity chair once in a while! Very nice photos!

Susannah

Karin said...

You definitely have a garden showcase!! It is a lot of work to keep a garden looking weed-free (well almost!) and inviting! Loved the lemonade and the time to visit and take it all in! I should take 'before' pictures of our courtyard because there are plans to renovate the whole space - when, I don't know - but the funds have been raised for this project.

I'd love to fall asleep on your porch and enjoy the peace and quiet - with just the birds chirping away!

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, Well, what a spectacular yard! You both can deservedly be proud! Hard work equals beauty! My little farm has no ornamental landscaping. Next year! I have my hands full with my lake house landscaping-to-be in order to sell at the price we expect. I also am busy with the vegetable garden and Spiny Amaranth! The weather here is rainy this AM. Have a great day!

joy said...

Thank you so much Betsy. I enjoyed the tour and you have such a beautiful garden and you know all the names of your plants and I admired you for taht. Me, I always forget the namen of my plants. I believe my brain cells doen not function as it should be sometimes. Good to have you to remind me the names of those beautiful plants:)

joy said...

BY the way, I loved the new look on your blog:)

Sylvia K said...

Such a lovely yard and garden, Betsy! Love your deck with the lovely flowers! And such beautiful trees! Wonderful place to spend time enjoying the beauty all around you! Thanks for the tour!! Hope you and George have a great weekend!

Sylvia

Fun60 said...

Thanks for the tour Betsy. I feel I know your garden well now. You must spend a lot of time keeping it looking trim and making sure the bugs don't eat too many flowers!

Ginny Hartzler said...

Betsy, the lemonade was delicious, and the yard bountiful and stunning! But best of all the wonderful company!

Rohrerbot said...

Looks great Betsy. I especially love how you've organized your beds. The hostas and ground cover in one of your shots under the tree really make for a great place to hide for critters....that's really nice. The flowers add to eye appeal...but the shade from your trees really makes a lovely woods around your house. Thanks for sharing. I'll have a post tomorrow on one section of the gardens, but I'll be doing more later on....we have a lot going on here right now and it looks terrible. But it won't once we're finished:)

Ginny Hartzler said...

Yikes, I wrote a comment and now it's gone! Have you seen it around anywhere? LOVE your abundant garden!!!

Big Dude said...

I don't know how you have time to travel so much and keep your place looking so manicured and do a blog and ...

Marcia said...

Just got home very early this am from a vacation trip to British Columbia and Jasper National Park in Alberta. We put 2100 miles on the rental car. It was a wonderful vacation and we only had one dud of a reservation that we cut our losses with after one night instead of the three in our reservation. I hope to post photos very soon from the trip.

Kay said...

Your yard always looks so pretty. So shady and woodsy. You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place.

MadSnapper said...

burgers for me please, and love the header lilies and the sedum.

Arkansas Patti said...

Shoot, you're kidding about a reciprocal tour. You are an impossible act to follow:))
You really have a beautiful place Betsy and George's hand is everywhere. Is it just me or are the weeds really aggressive this year?
Chicken will be fine, thank you.

Salitype said...

What a cool tour of your place, I enjoyed it a lot. Felt like I was there ... enjoyed the lemonade too !

Burger is fine with me and maybe a piece of chicken too hahahaha Thanks !

aligaga

Terry and Linda said...

I enjoyed the tour. I felt like I was there, sitting on the deck, just chatting. How wonderful that would be!


Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

Nava said...

Thanks Betsy--that was pretty.

Serenity Cove said...

Your deck is very inviting and I loved the tour of your garden.
I'm amazed at how you take care of all that and still have time to travel.
Are the lily's in the shade? I love shade gardening and I am always looking for plants that do well with some shade.

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, I enjoyed the tour very much. It's fun to see all the different beds. You have a great deck for cooking out on the grill. Hope you both enjoy the weekend.

Ann said...

I could take you on a tour of my yard but it would be more like a walk through the garden of weeden :)
I would much rather hang out on your deck sipping lemonade and enjoying your lovely yard

Susie Swanson said...

Gracious, thanks for the tour..It is so beautiful and your lillies are gorgeous..Blessings, Susie

Chatty Crone said...

I enjoyed the tour around your GORGEOUS home. I knew it would be - you have beautiful plants and flowers -and some nice relaxing places to sit around the home. Love, sandie

Connie said...

Mmmm, best lemonade I ever had! haha! Thanks, Betsy, I enjoyed the tour. You have a lovely yard and flowerbeds, but I know it took a lot of time and work for you and George to get it looking so nice. You are well rewarded for all your work with your beautiful flowers.

Rose ~ from Oz said...

What a wonderful tour Betsy and a great idea, really felt like I was in your world for a while. And a beautiful one it is. I adore all of those gorgeous big trees (even though your Roses need the sun!) Oh, I'll have a steak thankyou and what a wonderful invitation to your blogging friends! You and George are champs!

KathyA said...

What a lovely tour!! Maybe next time we'll have some sweet tea and a few cookies!

amy @ Life in Pink Hi-Tops said...

Thanks for the lemonade and the tour of the yard! It is beautiful. I love all the flowers and hostas. And the deck looks like a comfy place to relax and enjoy the yard.

Carletta said...

A beautiful walking tour of your gorgeous place Betsy!
I wish mine were as pristine as yours. :) Having three acres around us to mow our flowerbeds don't get as much attention as they should.
Your deck looks inviting. Tell George to grill me a hamburger and how about some more lemonade!
Have a wonderful weekend!

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

Such a beautiful home and gardens...and I've got lots of catching up do with all of your posts!!! Have a beautiful weekend!!

Starry Dawn said...

Hi sweet precious lady, Betsy,
Wooww!! What else could I say about your gorgeous garden and home!! Your pristine place is so inviting. Paul always cooks a barbecue on Sunday, especially steaks and chicken. I always fix a tasty salad, a Chef salad. Well, How about a nice salad with plenty of veggies and fresh fruits?? Will it be OK. for you??
As you may know, I am on a DIET...
I could have spring water or Club Soda as a drink. Yes!! We could talk for hours on end...
Betsy, you are invited to MY VIRTUAL TEA PARTY AT HOME IN BLOGLAND. Please, come on in!!
I wrote a wonderful Christian song, and I plan to sing it for you and my guests...
Does it sound good to you??
I wonder...
Have a terrific weekend!!
God may bless you all, Betsy!!
Warm Hugs,
Poet Starry.

Jeevan said...

It’s a retreat to reside there… and it was wonderful going around u r adobe… I loved your house and it well surrounded by lawns and rock sidewalk! Thanks for taking us around and you maintained the yard so well which isn’t easy. You have great patient to involve, paired with George.

Best wishes to you both :)

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Great tour Betsy- you and George have done a wonderful job with all of your flower beds.

Sally Wessely said...

I love your yard! You have really done a nice job with it. Of course, I would rather be able to visit in person, but this is the next best thing.

I've thought of doing a tour of my yard soon. It is still a work in progress, but it is coming along pretty well. Gardening is so good for the body, mind, and spirit.

Lady Di Tn said...

Betsy
Thanks for the tour of your lovely yard. I have been battling those pesky weeds for the last couple of days. Looks like you are better at it than me. I need to lend you Moe kitty as he has really put a dent in the chipmunk population on the hill. I just picked me up a brown chair like your blue one. It is great for your back. Peace and love

Nancy said...

Oh Betsy thanks so much for the delicious lemonade and the tour of your beautiful yard..You and George have done a wonderful job creating a restful and relaxing atmosphere at your home......Tell George I'll take a steak medium well....See you soon..

BlueShell said...

It is so beautiful...your flowers are gorgeous! Lovely!
Hugs

Busy Bee Suz said...

Well, the lemonade was delicious...but I swear I tasted some vodka in there too. Perhaps that is just my cold medicine?
Your deck and your yard are just lovely...so colorful and welcoming.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!!!!
xoxoxo

Debbie Taillieu said...

The lemonade was soooo refreshing and the tour of your yard was beautiful!!
You'll get a tour of my garden when it becomes one!! haha! I have been reworking the front yard and planted some foxglove and lavendar. The lawn has been reseeded and we are seeing signs of new blades!
Thank you for taking me on your tour!
Have a wonderful day!
Debbie's Travels

Anonymous said...

You and George have the most beautiful house and yard. It takes a lot of work to make it look this beautiful. The hard work, though, is worth it .... everything is so beautiful!

Grandma Bonnie said...

I love your flowers. all your flower beds look beautiful. I just finished weeding all my front fflower beds. It took me three days.

SquirrelQueen said...

Oh Betsy, you have a gorgeous yard. All or your and George's hard work has really paid off. I wish I had more shady areas so I could plant more hostas.

Hope you two are having a great weekend!

Gracie said...

I love your garden.. love the setup, the flowers, arrangement and all.. how i wish to have such like that someday.. it's a dream heavenly garden.

Faye said...

Each time a flower is at its height of bloom I think, "that's my favorite." But with daylilies they truly are--such gorgeous color, no drama to grow. Used to order them from a grower in OR-maybe--one looked like a Georgia peach. I like the way you've installed permanent beds with rock and stone. And good for you for saving as many trees as possible--great with ground cover and some hosta accents.

Now over the years I've become such a lazy gardener (and now with Chet it's hopeless)I'd more want to spend time on your deck with a book. Thanks for the tour, Betsy!

Hootin Anni said...

Everything is so lush, green and well cared for. Your yard is something right out of House and Garden.

eileeninmd said...

Betsy, thanks for the lovely tour of your yard. The flowers and flowers beds are all gorgeous. I can see that you and George have been working hard to have the prettiest yard in the neighborhood. Your deck looks very inviting and I love burgers and lemonade. Hope you are having a lovely Sunday and wish you a great week ahead.

A Colorful World said...

Betsy, you and George have such a lovely home and such a gorgeous yard! I enjoyed the tour very much! It all looks so cool and inviting!

Mhie Lee said...

WOw, i love your gardens. Its good you have time to taking care all of it.

Dr. Kathy McCoy said...

Oh, Betsy, what a beautiful yard and fantastic tour! I could just taste the lemonade and the promise of one of George's steaks, but the biggest treat of all was enjoying the beauty all around with you as a guide! Thanks for making my day!!

Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte said...

I did enjoy the tour. The way you keep your property so stunning is just lovely. enjoy the deck.

Daddy said...

Absolutely lovely ....

Mary said...

You really have a beautiful and well taken care of property. I enjoyed the tour! I'll take chicken, please :-)

Rose said...

I will take either hamburgers or steak off the grill...like hamburgers off the grill just as much as I like steak.

Twilight Man said...

Wow! You have such a big yard area with lovely neat gardens lined with blooming flowers, pebbles and stacked bricks! I would love to be your guest to laze by the deck chair and be served by Chef George!!!